Conventionally, a game operating apparatus which includes a longitudinal housing having a holding portion to be wrapped and held with a palm of a user, and a game system using such a game operation apparatus, have been known. This operation apparatus is provided with an imaging section at a front end, in the longitudinal direction, of the housing. In the game system, an LED module that emits infrared light (infrared ray) is arranged in the vicinity of a screen of a display. The operating state of the game operating apparatus can be estimated by, for example, capturing an image of the infrared light outputted from the LED module by using the imaging section, and analyzing the position of the infrared light in the captured image.
The game system as described above adopts the configuration in which the LED module that emits infrared light is arranged in the vicinity of the display. Regarding this point, the inventors have realized that the configuration of the game system can be made simpler to achieve the same function as described above.
Therefore, it is an object of the exemplary embodiments to provide an information processing system capable of performing light emission control in accordance with various situations and scenes, with a simple configuration.
In order to attain the object described above, the following configurations are exemplified.
A configuration example is an information processing system including at least a reflection member, and an information processing apparatus capable of image processing. The reflection member is a retroreflecting material. The information processing apparatus includes an imaging section, a first light emitting section, a second light emitting section, and a light source detecting section. The imaging section captures an image. The first light emitting section emits light. The second light emitting section emits light. At least one of a half-power angle and an entrance angle of the second light emitting section is different from that of the first light emitting section. The light source detecting section detects, in the image captured by the imaging section, a light source image including an image of the retroreflecting material. The image of the retroreflecting material indicates light that has been emitted from the first light emitting section and/or the second light emitting section and reflected by the retroreflecting material. The light source image is an image portion, in the captured image, relating to various types of reflected lights. The image of the retroreflecting material is an image portion, in the captured image, relating to the reflected light from the retroreflecting material. The first light emitting section and the second light emitting section may be provided in the vicinity of the imaging section.
According to the above configuration example, it is possible to provide an information processing system capable of properly using, in accordance with various situations and/or scenes, the two types of light emitting sections at least either of the half-power angles and the entrance angles of which are different from each other.
In another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may further include a light emission control section that causes one or both of the first light emitting section and the second light emitting section to emit light. The information processing system may further include another information processing apparatus different from the information processing apparatus, and light emission control section may receive instruction data transmitted from the another information processing apparatus to perform light emission control on the basis of the instruction data. Alternatively, the light emission control section may include a distance calculator that calculates a distance from the reflection member to the information processing apparatus, and the light emission control section may perform the light emission control in accordance with the distance calculated by the distance calculator.
According to the above configuration example, ON/OFF control for the two types of light emitting sections can be appropriately performed in accordance with the distance, thereby realizing light emission control in accordance with various situations and/or scenes.
In another configuration example, the half-power angle or the entrance angle of the first light emitting section may be greater than or equal to an angle of view of the imaging section, and the half-power angle or the entrance angle of the second light emitting section may be less than the angle of view of the imaging section.
According to the above configuration example, in a case where a predetermined object is detected on the basis of reflected light of light emitted from a light emitting section, for example, it is possible to achieve reduction in power consumption while maintaining the detection accuracy.
In another configuration example, the first light emitting section and the second light emitting section may be configured to emit infrared light.
According to the above configuration example, viewing action of a user is not hindered. Further, even when the room is dark, it is possible to execute, for example, a recognition process using infrared light such as the reflected light from the reflection member.
In another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may further include a calculator that calculates positional information, in the captured image, of the detected light source image. The calculator may be configured to calculate brightness of each detected light source image or a size of each detected light source image in the captured image. Further, the information processing apparatus may include a reflection member specifying section that specifies the image of the retroreflecting material on the basis of the size of each light source image calculated by the calculator and a distance between light source images in the captured image.
According to the above configuration example, the position of the reflection member in the captured image can be specified, and the orientation (relative to the reflection member) or the like of the information processing apparatus can be calculated on the basis of the specified position of the reflection member.
In another configuration example, an imaging direction of the imaging section and a light emitting direction of the first light emitting section and the second light emitting section may be substantially the same direction.
According to the above configuration example, the direction in which the imaging section of the information processing apparatus faces a certain surface can be calculated accurately.
In another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may be a hand-held information processing apparatus.
According to the above configuration example, it is possible to detect the direction and/or orientation of, for example, a one-hand portable information processing apparatus or a multifunctional controller for games, and execute information processing in accordance with the direction and/or orientation.
Another configuration example is an information processing apparatus including an imaging section, a first light emitting section, a second light emitting section, and a light source detecting section. The imaging section captures an image. The first light emitting section emits light. The second light emitting section emits light. At least one of a half-power angle and an entrance angle of the second light emitting section is different from that of the first light emitting section. The light source detecting section detects, in the image captured by the imaging section, a light source image including an image of the retroreflecting material. The image of the retroreflecting material indicates light that has been emitted from the first light emitting section and/or the second light emitting section and reflected by a retroreflecting material.
According to the above configuration example, light emission control according to various situations and/or scenes can be performed for the two types of light emitting sections at least either of the half-power angles and the entrance angles of which are different from each other.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to properly use a plurality of light emitting sections in accordance with various situations and/or scenes, with a simple system configuration.